


Line in the Sand

by JasnNCarly



Series: Michael Corinthos III/Sage Alcazar/Johnny Zacchara Series [1]
Category: General Hospital
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-11
Updated: 2010-12-11
Packaged: 2020-06-28 14:14:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19813975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Some of the most interesting possibilities are forbidden.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sage did not appear in Port Charles until Lorenzo returned, very much alive. For the purpose of this story, Michael is 21 and Sage is 24.

**Part One  
June 2011**  
  
The first time they had met, she had her gun pressed into his temple – warning, “Michael, stay out of family business! Stop trying to play peacemaker!”  
  
Upon their second meeting, he had the opportunity to match her unmistakable ebony eyes to her deceptively sweet voice. Even as she told him, “You’re either in or out of this mess for life,” his green eyes couldn’t be removed her stare – silver from her gun reflecting into the endless depths of her gaze.  
  
He set out for a third meeting, motivated by a pile of poor decisions.   
  
His father had lost it after finding out about Dante and Brenda; something Michael could’ve prevented had he just told the truth before his mother set off the bomb. Abby had skipped town; something he could’ve prevented if he had just said everything he was feeling rather than conceding to her need to start over. Graduation had meant little to him with no plans for his future; the early release from his parole left him little clarity on what to do with his life.   
  
Ignoring the alarms sounding off in his mind, Michael slipped into the club undetected by enemies. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins with maximum force, a feeling he had long forgotten. Michael leaned over the railing, his eyes scanning the dance floor below, and there she was – her hands in the air as her hips swayed with the music.  
  
 _{Easy come, easy go  
That's just how you live, oh  
Take, take, take it all  
But you never give  
Should've known you was trouble  
From the first kiss  
Had your eyes wide open  
Why were they open?}_  
  
The club was part of Alcazar’s territory. A forbidden spot of Port Charles to him. However, he had little to reason with as her movement continued to will away his better senses.  
  
While Johnny Zacchara respected the truce, Lorenzo Alcazar returned with determination to kill the Corinthos organization. Sage had been his right hand, accompanying him to meetings and serving as a little enforcer to her egotistical uncle.  
  
Michael had all of this in mind as he made his way down the stairs, his eyes bouncing around him consistently to check his safety. Finding a secure spot in the shadows, he crossed his arms and watched her intently until her eyes found his.  
  
Sage slithered her way through the crowd, her eyes never leaving his, as the rainbow colored lights bounced off the walls around them.  
  
Michael straightened his stand, trying to look collected despite the tight hold of his stiff muscles.  
  
Her body was hugged in a black denim jumpsuit, her long black hair becoming tiny waves in reaction to the sweat lightly coating her body, and his imagination ran away with him again.   
  
Sage laughed softly at his reaction, “You know you shouldn’t be here, right?”  
  
 _{Black, black, black and blue  
Beat me 'til I'm numb  
Tell the devil I said "Hey"   
When you get back to where you're from  
Mad woman, bad woman  
That's just what you are  
Yeah, you smile in my face   
Then rip the brakes out my car}_  
  
He surveyed his surroundings once more, extremely aware that his presence would be hated by her family and spark a reprimand from his own. Michael shrugged his shoulders, saying nothing more.  
  
“Hmm…” Her eyes wandered his stature from head to toe, “I’m not good at games, Corinthos. You want something you better be real plain about it.”  
  
Michael lost himself in her eyes, finding the fire he found in every encounter before. More intrigued by the flames than weary of them, he leaned forward and whispered into her ear, “And if I said I wanted you?”  
  
When he pulled away, seeing her flustered response, a smile spread across his lips. _Success._  
  
However, she overwhelmed all his senses as she moved in. The heat radiated from her body as she ran a fingernail along his lips, staring fearless into his eyes, “Prove it.”  
  
Michael knew one move in the wrong direction, so much as a fingertip on her skin, may get him killed where he stood.   
  
Blinking her eyes, she took one last lingering look over the length of his body, “That’s what I thought.” She turned away from him, calling over her shoulder, “Let me know when you’re ready to make some big boy moves.”  
  
Michael caught her hand, pulling her back to him in one shift and aggressive movement.  
  
 _{Gave you all I had  
And you tossed it in the trash  
You tossed it in the trash, yes you did  
To give me all your love  
Is all I ever asked  
Cause what you don't understand is}_  
  
When she came back into a tight position against him, her eyes lit up with dangerous excitement and a sexy smile appeared on her lips.  
  
Ignoring approaching bodyguards, he spoke to her with a husky breath, “Leave with me. Now.”  
  
Sage shook her head with a small laugh, “Lead the way.”  
  
~*~  
  
The first time they had sex, it was laced with competition. One wanted to make the other beg for more; one needed to be the power and control over the other. Their departure was nothing more than a passionate kiss and teasing look that said “you know you’ll be back”.  
  
Their second time together, Sage had returned from a brief trip out of town and met him at a hotel outside of city limits. When he asked her where she had gone, she told him, “Never ask questions. If I want you to know something, I’ll tell you.” Then, without allowing him protest, Michael’s lips and body were possessed by hers. She disappeared before he awoke, and he was sure their time together would remain a secret.  
  
After that, he assumed there would not be a third.   
  
_{If my body was on fire  
You’d watch me burn down in flames  
You said you love me  
You're a liar  
Cause you never, ever, ever did, baby}_  
  
The night the town gathered for a hospital fund raiser, everyone glam and ready to pay up, he saw her again.   
  
She knew exactly what she was doing. Tossing her head back with a laugh, Sage allowed the eyes of her male company to follow the length of her tan neck down to the skin exposed by the strapless dress she wore.   
  
Michael shook his head, excusing himself from his table, and tried to make a casual exit even as his eyes remained on her.  
  
The black lace of her dress sat over silk beige, a sash tied at her slender waist, and the hem reached just above her knees – her height elevated by open toe black heels. Diamonds dripped from her ear lobes, adding a touch of sparkle to her mocha lips and ebony eyes. Her hair in loose curls framing her face as her smoky eyes surveyed the room.  
  
Michael made an exit from the main ballroom without knowing if she had seen him or not. Removing his tie, he handed his valet ticket over and awaited the familiar roar of his car.  
  
 _{But, darling, I'd still catch a grenade for you  
Throw my hand on the blade for you  
I'd jump in front of a train for you  
You know I'd do anything for you}_  
  
“You weren’t even going to say hi?”  
  
He recognized her voice anywhere, “You seemed occupied, Sage.”  
  
“Well…” She moved to a stand in front of him, tilting her head with devious smile, “I’m not anymore. So why don’t we make things interesting?”  
  
When she moved to kiss him, Michael’s hands on her shoulders held her back, “Why don’t you enjoy your night with the little Sage fan club in there?”  
  
“You know, as green as those beautiful eyes are, I never took you for the jealous type.”   
  
Michael hated himself for feeling what he did, both watching her across the room and standing near her. His body betrayed his common sense, and his heart factored into not one equation with her – it wasn’t allowed to.  
  
When his car appeared behind her, he pulled a couple bills from his pocket and handed them over in exchange for his car keys.   
  
Sage was pleased with the show, waving farewell to the attendant before taking a few playful steps backward. When she leaned against the black sports car, her fingertips lightly tapped the passenger door, “You gonna take me somewhere or not?”  
  
 _{I would go through all this pain  
Take a bullet straight through my brain  
Yes, I would die for you, baby  
But you won't do the same  
No, you won't do the same  
You wouldn’t do the same  
Oh, you never do the same}_  
  
Their third and fourth time had taken place in his car. With her body hovering his in the driver’s seat, the car parked somewhere off road with the slight danger of other party goers spotting the two of them.  
  
He was caught up in the feel and taste of her, especially as she moaned his name and let out small cries of pleased surprise to a movement he made.   
  
A part of him always knew they would lead to trouble, no one would ever accept them as acquaintances much less lovers; but when she was near, all he could see or experience was her.   
  
His life had not allowed him many of these experiences; instead, it abused him. It tormented him with the plenty of the worst and little of the best. Now that he lost any chance with Abby, had no clue what direction was forward, Michael wanted to be selfish and damn the consequences.  
  
 __ **Song Credit: “Grenade” – Bruno Mars**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two  
August 2011**  
  
 _Alone?_  
  
Michael ignored the text message, sure if he responded the next message would include a location and time. However, he was having what she liked to call a “moment” where he forgot to accept what they were and proceed with routine – it was best for everyone.  
  
Staring at the ceiling, he tossed his cell phone – back and forth - between his hands while contemplating the situation. She was the niece of a man who had nearly destroyed his father, kidnapped his mother, and planned to overtake Port Charles. On the other hand, she seemed to be the only one who accepted him without the restraints of his past or his family name.  
  
Still, their relationship (whatever it was) wasn’t smart. He knew that. Cursed himself for starting the mess in the first place, but she had him. Something about who she was, without warning, had robbed him of the most basic common sense.  
  
 _{Can't hold it back  
You know I'm so addicted to you  
Cravings attack  
Whenever I get closer to you  
I'm in withdrawl  
Whenever you're away  
I just want you here with me, boy}_  
  
 _Damn it_. Michael started to type a reply, ready to receive her directive, when a soft knock appeared on his door. Stopping immediately, he got off the couch and hid his cell phone in his back jean pocket.   
  
Carly had set Michael up across the hall from Dante; the property still leased to her after Brook’s departure. While she had a major problem placing him there, he had done a great job convincing her it was the safest place for him. It also allowed him to keep an eye on his now self destructive sibling. Clearing his throat, he started to speak before fully opening the door, “You want to see if there’s a game or something on TV?”  
  
“Nah, I’m more of participant than a sidelines kinda girl.”   
  
Michael’s eyes shot to her, dressed cliché in a black trench coat and fedora which shadowed her features until she lifted her head with a flirtatious grin. Without a word, he grabbed Sage’s hand and pulled her inward. Michael did a quick survey of the hallway, slamming the door, “What the hell are you doing showing up at my home?”  
  
His frustration did little to darken her playful mood as she removed the hat and coat. Her ebony stare went over the details of his home as she made her way to his sofa. Dressed in a beige lace detailed corset top, dark blue jeans, and black heels, she sat on his couch and leaned back, “What had you so busy that you couldn’t text, Corinthos?”  
  
“Maybe I was tired.” Michael tried not to smile as she crossed one leg over the other, sitting her ankles on the couch arm, “Or I had a headache.”  
  
“Or you wanted me to chase you. Something I would not normally do for a man, but for you…”   
  
His resolve faded quickly upon any appearance she made, aware of how memorable each encounter between them tended to be.   
  
She switched her position. With her legs kicked up behind her and her elbows seated on the couch arm, Sage signaled him to come forward with her index finger.  
  
Michael complied, knowing it was a bad idea and not caring. Standing next to the couch arm, he stared down at her with a sigh, “You can’t be here.”  
  
“Why not?” She tugged the hem of his t-shirt upward, “I’m here to help you with your headache.”   
  
_{Let's take a ride  
I'll show you all the avenues  
Hop in my coupe  
I only got a room for two  
Let's just explore  
My only destination is you  
I'll tell you what I want to do}_  
  
His eyes closed as her soft lips touched his stomach, causing his temperature to rise with each tiny caress. When her mouth trailed upward and neared his, Michael caught her with a desperate kiss. Hands tangled in her hair, he urged her to move closer to him.  
  
Sage did what his kiss required of her and moved her body to a seat on the couch arm, wrapping her limbs around him. However, when she felt his hands sliding the zipper at the back of her top, she broke away with an excited grin. Staring up into his eyes, she whispered in a hot breath, “Go away with me.”  
  
Michael paused, his heart rate immediately slowing down, “What?”  
  
“Not forever, not from your life, just a few days.” Sage bit her lower lip, anticipating his answer.  
  
Stepping back, he let out a soft laugh, “I can’t just leave Port Charles.”  
  
“Why not? It’s nothing drastic. You can tell your family that it’s just a little—time to think. You want a few days before you start whatever future, and you’re leaving no matter what they say.”  
  
“No, Sage. Not happening.”  
  
“Oh come on! I’m giving you the perfect opportunity to be a normal, young man. Forget all your inhibitions and responsibilities for a tiny moment. Just be selfish. Once.”  
  
“And leave with you?”  
  
“No one will know, all right? It’s a personal jet, and we’re headed straight for a house that I’ve rented in Miami.”  
  
“Miami?”  
  
“Yeah, me and you. Bathing suits optional.”  
  
~*~  
  
There was no way Sage’s plan would work on his mother. So his departing phone call was to Jason and not Carly, one simple statement leaving his lips, “Just tell mom I’ll be back by Tuesday.”  
  
Sage assured Michael her bodyguards could care less about the company she kept, even as she welcomed him with a kiss and whispered plans into his ear the entire flight. With each one, Michael calmed down just slightly and became consumed with her presence.  
  
 _{The mood is set  
My temperature is rising  
I'm getting hot  
And there ain't no denying  
I know a spot  
Where can just go get lost together  
Right now and do whatever}_  
  
Michael was ready to numb all his senses with the feel of her as they got into a limousine separate from her guards and headed for her rental property. With the backseat shielded from the driver’s sight, he dove for her lips and full enjoyed the benefits of an abrupt departure from prying eyes.  
  
Sage had ordered her driver to circle around the property in between moans. A soft satisfied sound left her lips as they collapsed on the third trip around.  
  
~*~  
  
Sage swam to the side of the pool where he was perched, smiling up at him, “I told you this trip would be worth it.”  
  
In truth, Michael enjoyed the night air and the image of her body gliding through the water. If he thought beyond that, he would be in danger of regret.  
  
Sage crossed her arms across his dry swim trunks, softening her gaze, “I’m glad you’re here.”  
  
Those words had never escaped her lips. In fact, everything that usually departed the pout of her mouth was a judgment, warning, or a way to persuade him into sexual gratification.  
  
Michael tenderly stroked the skin of her cheek, noting the terrified look which flashed in her eyes, and wondered what she had to fear from him.  
  
 _{Boy, you got me twisted  
I must admit it  
I just can't resist  
I can't get you off my senses  
You make me feel brand new  
The things you do  
Oh, you know that I'm feenin' for you}_  
  
He removed his hand, laughing, “You know how much shit I’m gonna get when I get back?”  
  
“Let’s not worry about that now.”   
  
He decided not to question the look he had seen seconds before and hopped into the pool, causing laughter to escape her lips as she attempted an escape. Catching her wrist, he tugged her back to him and breathed a sigh of relief at the confidence settled within her dark gaze.   
  
Sage locked her arms around him as he hugged her waist, “This is your chance to forget everything. No one expects anything of you here. No one wants you to be anything you aren’t.”   
  
Now, the fear was his as he held onto her. Something in her quiet tone left him to marvel at the understanding and kindness her words offered. A moment to be like the rest of the world without one single worry.  
  
She placed her hands on the back of his neck, pressing her forehead to his, “You’re not responsible for anything but yourself and what you want, Michael.”  
  
Sage’s use of his name was not lost on him. It urged him to pull back and have that ‘what are we’ conversation, but she would not allow it.   
  
_{Can we go there  
Ecstasy   
I wanna go there  
You and me   
Boy, you know I'm  
I'm feeling you   
I want to take you there…}_  
  
He gave into the deep kiss she used to silence him. While he was sure they would eventually have the make or break conversation, it was enough to have her offer him a temporary escape.  
  
When he pulled away, catching another brief look into the depths of her gaze, Michael saw something unsettled and wondered what she kept from him. A small part of him wanted to question their abrupt departure from Port Charles, what had sent her running, but he left it to tomorrow. It was obvious Sage would divulge no information on the first night of their getaway.  
  
 __ **Song Credit: “Ecstasy” – Danity Kane**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three  
August 2011**  
  
He woke up to her lips running a path from his cheek to his shoulder then back up again, her familiar weight on top of him, and a smile formed on his lips before his eyes greeted the world.  
  
“Time to get up.” She whispered into his ear, her hot breath causing him to shiver despite the heat of the room, “I’ve got a surprise for you.”  
  
Blinking his eyes, he noted the glow of the room and the tan beauty staring down at him.   
  
Her curvaceous form was proudly displayed to him, unashamed and baring only marks he had left upon her skin. Running her hands down his bare chest to a gentle tug on his hips, she smiled at his soft groan, “And good morning to you too, Mr. Corinthos.”  
  
Whatever her surprise was, it could wait. Right now, he wanted to give her proper ‘good morning’ and grabbed the back of her neck to pull her mouth down to his. A pleased giggle left her lips before joining his, soft caresses which quickly turned into a passionate exchange.  
  
~*~  
  
After a quick shower, Sage finally broke away from him to dress. When he reached for her, not ready to let her leave, she barely escaped his touch with a soft squeal, “No.”   
  
Frustration set in as she left their kiss, his whole body begging to keep her close.  
  
Sage grabbed a couple items from her bag, eyeing him as he entered the room with a towel around his waist, “I’m serious, Michael.” Pulling a black tank top over her head, she groaned at his relentless nature, “I had a surprise for you that had nothing to with…that.” Sage wiggled her hips into some blue boy shorts and barely escaped his second attempt at grabbing her. Laughing loudly as she jumped onto the mattress and ran across it, Sage hopped back onto the floor and signaled for him to follow, “Come on.”  
  
Michael did as told, refusing to dress before exiting the room, and followed her as she led him towards the dining room, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail. When they got close, the smell of fresh fruit and something he could not decipher assaulted his sense – his stomach growling in response.   
  
Hearing his body’s call, she smiled at him over her shoulder, “I knew your body needed other things to survive.”  
  
Michael gave her a sarcastic smile until they stepped into the dining room, and he was confronted with a large assortment of food and drink.  
  
Seating him at one end of the table, she poured him a glass of juice and began to pile things on a plate. As she did all of this, she had the sexiest smile of pride he had ever seen.  
  
For some reason, this action meant something to her. It was something he could not understand about Sage, no matter how hard he tried. She loved catering to him, being something mysterious yet wanted, and put up an unnecessary fight to maintain that position in his life.  
  
They were heading into their third month of a secret sexual relationship, and nothing further had been discussed between them. Boundaries had been drawn only by jealous reactions and sarcastic comments in casual conversation. Topics concerning business, their futures, or the past had not been broached. Everything discussed would either immediately affect them or was absolutely pointless.  
  
Sage settled into his lap, tossing her legs over the chair arm and wrapping an arm around him. Kissing his lips with a passion that nearly erased focus, she stopped short of any other action and used her free hand to grab the fork. Stabbing a small bite of food, she held it up to feed him.  
  
He had no clue why she would go through so much trouble, hated having so much attention concentrated on him. Yet her small, excited smile possessed the power to will his compliance to any wish she had.  
  
~*~  
  
“Do you hear that?”  
  
Sage’s sudden break from their kiss, eyes wide, had made Michael panic, “What? Hear what?”  
  
“That!” She gestured upward, seeing he heard nothing other than their heated breath, and pushed him away, “This was exactly what I was hoping for.”  
  
“What are you talking about? Where are you going?”  
  
“Just come on!”  
  
Rather than complain, Michael tightened the towel at his waist and followed her in frustration. He definitely had a one track mind when it came to her, and her consistent distractions were a bit irritating today, especially as he spotted her heading out the sliding door towards the pool.  
  
“Sage!” Michael called out after her, surprised she raced out in her underwear, and rushed to the open door, finding her staring up at the afternoon’s sunny sky as rain poured down on her.  
  
“This is why I love Miami!” She called out to him, tiny drops spilling over her curves as she welcomed them with open arms and closed eyes, “You have to come out here.”  
  
“That’s funny because I was gonna tell you to come inside.”  
  
“What we could do in there, we could do out here.” Sage pulled her pony tail out, signaling him to step out with her as a dangerous smile delighted her full lips, “No one can see us here. It’s private. Just for us, remember?”  
  
Michael may have felt brave in front of her, often too distracted by her curves to worry about how he looked. However, right now, he was incredibly self conscious and not anxious to greet the world in nothing more than a towel on his waist.  
  
“What do I have to do to prove it to you? Get naked?” Sage shrugged her shoulders when he said nothing, reaching for the hem of her tank top, “Fine.”  
  
“No!” Michael stopped her without a second thought, not willing to share his prize with any prying eyes (any more than she forced him to), and stood before her, eyes bouncing around in caution, “The reason we’re standing out here, in the rain, almost naked is because…?”  
  
She smoothed her damp hair, the rain coming down slightly harder than before, and licked the water from her lips, “Dance with me.”  
  
Allowing her to place his hands to her hips, he let out a soft laugh, “There’s no music.”  
  
Sage nodded slowly, swaying her hips slowly until he followed, then allowed the lyrics to leave her mouth in a soothing melody.  
  
 _{En un pedestal  
Yo coloque tu amor  
Me hicieron volar  
Tus besos, tu pasion  
Enloquecida estaba  
En tus brazos reposaban  
Mi innocence, mis sueños, mi ilusion  
  
Me contaron  
Que te vieron dando besos  
A otros labios, no los mios  
Y hoy me abraza la cruel verdad  
Triste y amarga  
Que tu a mi me has mentido}_  
  
Michael moved without knowledge he was doing so, pleased at the sound of her voice. She had mentioned wanting to be a singer as a child, but he had no clue she had the talent to do so. When she made the sound he adored, they were often in the midst of their passion with no calm in sight.   
  
Lately, with everything happening between them, he tried to train himself to forget their moments together. But, listening to her song, he wanted to remember every detail.  
  
Her body was secure in his arms, one hand at her hips as the other traveled over her body. Each caress of her curves and attentive stroke to her skin reacquainted him with her hot body temperature which had cooled little in the summer rain. The cloth barely covering her tan skin clung to her skin in the sun’s light.   
  
Her ebony eyes avoided his, her head hung with a low hum, and he wondered why she looked ashamed, her happiness gone.  
  
 _{Por un beso  
Traicionaste me cariño  
Has dejado mal herido  
Mi pobre corazon  
No te idio  
Solo pena por ti siento  
Te entregue mi amor eterno  
Y no le diste su valor  
  
Por un beso  
Por un beso  
Te burlaste de mi  
Y no te guardo rancor}_  
  
Lifting her chin, Michael offered her a small smile as she went on. Though tears left her eyes, he assured himself it was her fear of being vulnerable. To everyone else she could afford to be closed off, yet she may have gotten too close to the fire with him. Not only did he understand this, he had the same problem.  
  
Michael stroked away her tears and her reaction was to press her forehead to his, continuing with her song.  
  
 _{Por un beso  
Te di todo mi cariño… por un beso  
Y tu jugaste conmigo… por un beso  
Has dejado mal herido… por un beso  
Mi pobre corazon… por un beso  
Ay, por un beso traicionaste… por un beso  
Todo el amor mio… por un beso  
Y ahora triste vivo… por un beso  
Pero no te guardare rancor… por un beso  
Y es que ya no nos quedan palabras  
Solo nos queda el adios  
  
Por un beso, por un beso, por un beso  
Solo por un beso  
Mi amor, tu me engañaste… por un beso  
Y es que eres un cobarde.. Por un beso  
Al no saber querer… por un beso  
Este amor que te di… por un beso  
Que siempre te fue fiel}_  
  
Nearing the end of her song, Sage’s sobs began to interfere with her melody.   
  
“Sage?” Michael wanted to end their dance, tried to pull away, but she held on tighter. Accepting her into his embrace, he felt his heart sink to his gut, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“I need…” She swallowed hard, finally staring into his eyes, and choked out, “I have to know why you came with me. Why did you agree to do this and come to Miami?”  
  
Anything he said could ruin what they had.   
  
_Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t._  
  
Michael took a moment, stroking her wet hair out of her eyes, and answered the only way he knew how, honestly, “I just wanted to be with you.”  
  
Nodding slowly, she tried to hide her quivering lip behind a smile.   
  
Michael accepted this; but when she tried to look away, his hand cupped her chin and kept their eyes locked. Her tears worsened at the action, prompting him to affectionately stroke her cheek with the back of his hand.  
  
Sage shook her head at him, letting out a sharp laugh, then pressed her lips to his until they were both left breathless.  
  
 __ **Song Credit: “Por Un Beso” – Gloria Estefan**


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four  
August 2011**  
  
Michael forced his mind to stay elsewhere, thinking about baseball and whatever else he could - anything that would help her obtain her bliss so that he may have his.   
  
When her moans signaled her time was seconds away, he returned to his body’s desperate focus and answered her body’s call. Michael placed frantic kisses along her neck and shoulder, her breath brushing against his skin, as they worked in unison. Their sounds had echoed through the living room; the two of them had been too anxious to make it to the bedroom and instead settled next to the fireplace.   
  
Their bodies began to still, both trying to catch their breath after the final wave.   
  
Michael gave her lips one last deep kiss before his body attempted to depart; however, she locked her limbs and kept him close.   
  
The flames of the fireplace were unnecessary for their temperature, but he enjoyed the way the light played against her skin – especially as she stared up at him with unmistakable adoration.  
  
Once she was sure he would stay, she moved one hand to his forehand to remove beads of sweat.   
  
His eyes closed at the touch, willing victim to her endless attention. Feeling her hand leave his brow, Michael was confronted by the apologetic look she had been giving him throughout their trip.  
  
Without any warning at all, her lips jumped up to catch his in a way that was neither anxious nor desperate. Instead, the softness of her kiss left him breathless in a way he was unfamiliar with.  
  
 _{There's a still in the street outside your window  
You're keeping secrets on your pillow  
Let me inside, no cause for alarm  
I promise tonight not to do no harm  
I promise you, babe, I will do you no harm}_  
  
Michael tensed up at the gentle care she took with her touch. Her lips kept meeting, departing, then returning to his lips for a kiss without the creative invasion of her tongue. Her legs wrapped around his waist hugged him close as her hands moved up and down his bare back. He could’ve stayed like that forever, allowing himself a slow ease at her delicate affection towards him.   
  
One of her hands had moved to the back of his head, fingertips caressing soft spikes of hair, as her lips departed his with a quiet proclamation, “I have something to tell you.”  
  
Michael swallowed hard, imagining the possibilities after what they had just experienced. Nodding slowly, he remained in place and waited for her announcement.  
  
Tears occupied her gaze as she added, “It’s about…when we get to Port Charles.”  
  
Michael wanted to ease her worry until he felt her hold on him loosen, signaling their intimacy was about to be tested.  
  
She maneuvered herself into a seat, pulling her knees to her chest and tucking her wild hair behind her ears. Though he sat up, it took him a moment to meet her eyes – knowing this news was what he had been anticipating for almost forty eight hours.  
  
Michael drew in a deep breath, locking their gaze, “What’s going on with you?”  
  
 _{Watching your dress as you turn down the lights  
I forget all about the storm outside  
Dark clouds roll their way over town  
Heartache and pain came a-pouring down   
like hail, sleet and rain,   
They're handing it out}_  
  
“I…” Sage seemed desperate to tell him something, anything; yet her nerve had a habit of consistently leaving her, “You’re gonna hear something you may not like when we get back.”  
  
“Okay…like what? You need an alibi or something?” Michael surprised even himself with the question, not sure he should be so willing to bring up vocabulary which included ‘alibi’.  
  
“No, it’s not—“ Sage shut her eyes tightly, needing to forget her fear, but found herself stalled.  
  
Reaching out, Michael’s thumb stroked her cheek and prompted her eyes to pop open again, “Just tell me what’s going on, and we can figure it out from there.”  
  
“I’m supposed to get married.” Sage blurted out, seeing his confusion, and using another deep breath to add, “I’ll officially be engaged when we get back to Port Charles.”  
  
It felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.   
  
“It was—arranged a long time ago by my uncle. I never, _never_ thought he was serious. But then…he sat me down and–“  
  
Michael cut her off, a question chilling the air, “To who?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Engaged to who?”  
  
“That doesn’t matter.”  
  
“It does to me.” Michael glared, seeing every cue of discomfort registering in her body and stare, “Who are you engaged to?”  
  
Sage blinked twice, tears spilling onto her cheeks and pooling at her lips. She wiped her mouth before whispering, “…Johnny Zacchara.”  
  
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Michael waited for her to admit it was a bad joke, but her silence said it all. Standing to his feet, he stormed out of the room as he erupted, “You gotta be fucking kidding me!”  
  
“Michael, wait.”  
  
He ignored her calls, heading straight for the bedroom with one goal: _get out now_.  
  
 _{And we're caught up in  
the crossfire of Heaven and Hell  
And we're searching for shelter  
Lay your body down…}_  
  
“Please, just wait.” Her voice was soft, absent of the confidence and powerful command it normally carried, as he heard her bare feet rushing after him, “Let me explain.”  
  
Michael had made it to the bedroom before she caught up to him, her hand wrapping around his wrist. His reaction was immediate, his eyes striking hers with a warning as he yanked his arm away. Still, he saw the tears and desperation in her stare – robbing him of some fire.  
  
“I—I didn’t have a choice, all right? My uncle just told me to get—‘whatever it is’ outta my system before the engagement was announced. I—I couldn’t say no!”  
  
“The hell you couldn’t! You’re a big girl. You just had to open your mouth and say the damn words. To him, to me, tell the truth to somebody!”   
  
“That’s not fair!”  
  
“Right! Because I’m not allowed to give a shit, right? Not about you or whatever we’re doing.” The last part of his statement came out with venom, disgusted even in his own actions, as he slipped into a pair of sweats and tossed a free shirt at her. Once she had slipped it on in equal frustration, Michael found his luggage and started to gather his stuff, “This was a mistake. This whole thing, all of it, was a mistake!”  
  
“Michael, please just listen to me, okay? This—this doesn’t mean anything to me, not in the way you’re thinking.”  
  
“What the hell is that supposed to mean!”  
  
“It means I have to do this for my family, but it doesn’t change anything for me. It doesn’t change the way I feel…about you.” Sage waited for him to pause, sniffling, “Please, look at me.”  
  
With a tight jaw, he did as requested.  
  
“In the family business, loyalty and honor are valued far above any other emotions. I had to accept Johnny’s proposal for my family. It had nothing to do with me.”  
  
“Don’t do that. Don’t act like it’s okay to be engaged to Johnny and here with me!”  
  
 _{Tell the Devil that he can go back from where he came  
His fiery arrows drew their bead in vain  
And when the hardest part is over, we'll be here  
And our dreams will break the boundaries of our fear  
The boundaries of our fear}_  
  
“Not all of us have a choice, Michael!” Sage let out a loud, bitter laugh and maintained a defiant stare with tears, “It must be so nice to be the golden child who everyone bends over backwards to please! To actually have a choice in what you want with your life! I didn’t have that! My parents are dead, and my life was decided _for_ **me**!”  
  
“So you just keep letting him do it? That’s the answer!”  
  
“Fine, then tell me what to do, Michael! How do I betray my uncle, the only family I have, and live with nothing at all! Huh? How do I do what you do so easily?” Sage stepped forward as he vehemently shook his head, slamming his stuff into his bag, “You act like I’m the only one wrong, but have you told anyone about us? Does even one person you know have any clue you’re screwing with me?”  
  
Michael said nothing, becoming absolutely still as her question.   
  
The world grew quiet as their conversation came to a close, both too unaware of the other’s motivation to move one way or another.   
  
Sage sat on the bed, staring away from him, “I’ve known John since I was a kid. He knows and understands what it’s like to be in my position. To have everything forced upon you. My marriage to him would be about that only. He’ll never question what I do or who I’m with.”  
  
He laughed at her statement, zipping up his bag, “I’m not okay with this. You want to have sex behind Johnny’s back, you find some other guy to do it with…I’m outta here.”  
  
“Michael, please don’t go.”   
  
Her call made him stop at the door; it was further proof she had a hold on him. Michael glanced back to see the plea in her eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.  
  
“If you never want to see me again, if this is it, I understand.” Sage struggled to maintain her composure, choking out, “Just don’t leave me tonight. I’m begging you…don’t go.”  
  
If she was the same woman he first met, the decision would have been simple. He could leave their little hideaway and never look back. However, as she sat there with open vulnerability, he struggled. She had never asked him for something in such fear, confusion with a heart clearly wounded with battle scars he had yet to see or understand.  
  
Dropping his bag where he stood, he held onto the arm strap in debate. How long could he possibly give into her requests and maintain his sanity?  
  
 _{Lay your body down  
Lay your body down  
Lay your body down...next to mine}_  
  
Michael final released his hold on the bag and made his way back towards the bed. Though her eyes remained glued on him, she scooted onto the bed and waited for him to occupy the empty space. After another inner dialog of “what am I doing,” he lied back on the bed and crossed his arms behind his head.  
  
Sage was cautious, laying beside him, and staring up at the ceiling, words quiet, “I’m sorry—for everything, Michael. I never wanted to…”  
  
When she trailed off, he glanced over to see her swiping at endless tears. Michael drew in a deep breath, moving his arms to signal her over, “Come here.”  
  
Her eyes shot to his, full of hope and apology, before her body cuddled up to his. Once her head was secure on his chest, her arms enclosing his waist, he embraced her.   
  
When he felt her shaking in his arms, Michael kissed the top of her head and whispered against her hair, “You have nothing to be sorry for.”  
  
 __ **Song Credit: "Crossfire" - Brandon Flowers**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Four**  
September 2011  
  
She had obliged his request. Obviously wounded by his order for distance, she merely nodded her head and left in a separate car as they returned to their lives in Port Charles.  
  
Not one text message or run in had happened between them in over a month now; yet, the reminders of her life – _her_ decisions – seemed to follow him no matter where he went.  
  
The town buzzed over the audacity Johnny Zacchara had in marrying Sage. Each conversation included gossip from people who had no clue about the type of woman Sage was – what she wanted and needed – yet he could vividly recall these details without intention to do so.  
  
He became introverted, accompanying family and friends to events without the slightest interest in what they were doing. Instead, his whole life became avoiding headlines of the latest details and arrests surrounding the wedding of doom.  
  
While he had no clue how she did it, so easily falling into her role as mob princess, Michael painfully understood her reasons. He agreed with not one of them, wishing she had the strength of character to walk away from it all; but he accepted his role in their predicament. No one forced him to bed her. If anything he had been warned plenty, her family was to be avoided at all costs.  
  
All he had to do was let it go, forget whatever happened between them, and the secret could die without anyone ever gossiping about their brief time together.  
  
This easy solution became impossible as his eyes spotted her through the window of a jewelry store, smiling at Johnny’s side.  
  
As she held out her hand between herself, Johnny, and the jeweler, Michael froze in his stand. Though he were only across the street, he felt a world apart from them – their happiness appearing entirely to genuine for his liking.  
  
When Johnny leaned over to kiss her cheek, her smile faded slightly – revealing her surprise at the action – and Michael had endured enough.  
  
He surveyed the area, mentally marking each guard, and spotted an easy out at the store’s left. Whipping out his cell phone, determined to break their stare, he frantically typed a text.   
  
_Meet me in the alley_.  
  
He sent it and allowed his eyes to return to the happy couple in the window.  
  
Sage seemed thankful for the interruption, stepping back a step to check her message as Johnny shook the jeweler’s hand. When her eyes had registered the message, she stared blankly at her phone for a moment.  
  
 _Come on, Sage_. Michael tried to appear as though he were just hanging out when he noticed the suspicious narrow of one guard’s eyes.  
  
When his phone signaled the safe delivery of her response, he refused to look at it and kept his green eyes glued to the scene in the store.  
  
Sage gestured at her phone then to the back, signaling the men she would return in one minute, and began to make her escape.  
  
Michael walked to the block’s end, losing the focus of the guards, before he casually made his way into the alley without their notice. Just as he rounded the corner, he spotted her ebony eyes peeking out the back door to search for him.  
  
When spotted, he felt some of his resolve disappear.   
  
She stepped out with caution, quietly propping the door open, and made her way toward him with a smile. However, noting his somber expression, Sage followed suit and awarded him a dark glare of her own, “You better make this quick.”  
  
Sensing her disappointment, easily detecting the glossy mist of her gaze, Michael took the necessary steps towards her and blurted out, “I have some things I need to say.”  
  
“You said everything, Michael. Remember? You don’t want anything to do with me, and there’s no need for a ‘sorry’ between us.” Sage finally met his eyes, ignoring a tear trailing down her cheek and shoving her hands into her pockets with a proud shrug, “What else is there to say?”  
  
“I don’t want you to marry him, Sage.”  
  
“Oh God, not this again.” Sage groaned, bowing her head with a sigh, “Michael, my soul doesn’t need saving. Johnny is business, and I’m going to do what I have to do.”  
  
“For who? Them or you?”  
  
“I refuse to do this with you. You hear me? I refuse.” Sage snapped, attempting to storm back inside, only to be stopped by him.  
  
Catching her wrist, Michael used a swift movement to bring her into his arms and cease her mouth with a desperate kiss.  
  
She eased in his arms, immediately responding to his advances as he backed her into the shadows of surrounding brick, and snaked her arms around his neck.  
  
When he found the strength to pull away, his lost eyes found solace in the hope he found within her gaze.  
  
Unwilling to let him get away with one kiss, Sage shook her head with a breathless yet pleased whisper, “I thought you never wanted to see me again.”  
  
“You can’t marry Johnny.” Michael repeated the only certainty he had, provoked into further explanation by her exasperated glance elsewhere, “What if I help you get out of your engagement?”  
  
Her eyes shot to his, wide with surprise, “How do you plan to do that?”  
  
“I don’t know.” His honest answer did little to reassure her. Caressing her cheek, his green gaze fixated on a lock with hers, “We have a couple options. We can either come clean, make everyone accept us, or we could get away from them, live our own lives.”  
  
“Think about this for two seconds, would you? There’s no way in hell your family is gonna accept us and my uncle will immediately disown me.”  
  
“Who cares? We’ll be fine.”  
  
“How? We’re not a couple. We’re not anything beyond friends with benefits.”  
  
“You know that’s not true.” Michael’s simple proclamation softened her harsh stare, the mist worsening in her eyes and allowing him yet another viewing of her vulnerability, “I want you with me. Not him.”  
  
Sage let a bitter laugh escape her lips, whimpering a weak statement in response, “What if I can’t be what you want, Michael? When all of this is – settled, what if I’m not the woman you need me to be?”  
  
“I want _you_ , good or bad. That’s it. No exceptions.” Michael saw her hesitation and gave her a crooked grin, “Just think about it and meet me. Tonight. At my place.”  
  
“Michael, this is crazy. We need to—“ Sage was cut off, moaning against his lips as he made sure she had not a single thought left in her head.  
  
Keeping his eyes shut, he pulled away with a soft request, “Just say yes.”  
  
Sage swallowed hard, allowing a quiet compliance to leave her wet lips, “…yes.”  
  
“Sage?”  
  
Their eyes shot to slightly ajar door as they heard Johnny’s voice echoing inside. Sage rushed towards the door, shoving Michael to stand behind it as she swung it open. Presenting a wide grin, she made sure Johnny stopped in the doorway, “The reception stinks in there. I just had to step out for a second.”  
  
“You shouldn’t duck the guards, Sage. No matter what wedding plans you think are life or death.”  
  
Michael rolled his eyes at Johnny’s statement, watching Sage’s playful pout towards her fiancé. She gave Johnny a gentle shove, teasing with a low chuckle, “My wedding has to be one for the record books, Zacchara, so just deal with it.”  
  
Receiving one last glance from her eyes, Michael waited for the door to close behind them then released a deep and calming breath.   
  
His relief was short lived as he realized he had just sent everyone’s life on an entirely new course.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part Five  
September 2011**  
  
His eyes bounced between his hardwood floor and the clock on the wall, trying to distinguish which was louder – his pacing or the slow tick which seemed amplified in his silent home.  
  
Arrangements had been made – a plane was waiting for them – and his only fear was his words would fail in persuasion. Something he would say would spark the same argument they had in Miami. She would convince herself that her wants didn’t matter and that he had no clue what her life required of her. The truth was he understood every word, felt it from his coma to his prison visit and in every other innocence which had been ripped from him.  
  
Unlike Sage, he decided to stop letting things happen to him or, even worse, to be taken from him. For this reason, he had to take her from it all and disappear.   
  
They would figure out when and if they ever wanted to return to Port Charles; for once, they would be entirely selfish and care only for what they wanted more than anything else – each other.  
  
When a loud knock finally appeared on his door, he let out a loud sigh of relief and rushed towards the door, “It’s about time you got—“ Cutting himself off, Michael lost his half smile at the sight of his company, “Jason, what are you doing here?”  
  
“I’ve been calling your phone. Why haven’t you answered?” He pushed past him, ignoring any idea of an invitation, and immediately gestured towards the bags on the couch, “What’s this?”  
  
Michael bowed his head, shutting his door, “I had another trip planned.”  
  
“Without telling anyone? Michael, this is not the time to be disappearing.”  
  
“I would’ve told you where I was. I just—” Meeting his uncle’s deep blue eyes, sensing the deep concern, he swallowed a lump in his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets, “…that’s a lie. I wasn’t gonna tell anyone anything.”  
  
Jason’s jaw tightened, “What are you talking about?”  
  
“Look, you’re gonna know eventually what’s going on, and I—I can’t lie about it anymore.” Tapping his shoe a couple times, he knew no matter how he phrased it – it would be wrong, “I was leaving with Sage Alcazar. Tonight…I’ve been seeing her since this summer.”  
  
“You what?”  
  
“I knew no one would be okay with it.”  
  
“You think there might be a reason?”  
  
“You don’t know her, Jason. She’s not who everyone seems to think she is!”  
  
Jason softened his tone, taking a step forward, “There’s a reason you shouldn’t be anywhere near that family. There are a lot of things you don’t know or understand about what’s happening right now.”  
  
“I don’t need to know anything! I know her!” Michael could see his words frustrated him and shook his head with a laugh, “I can live my own life. So can she, and she’s gonna be here any second so—you have to go.”  
  
“Michael—”  
  
“No, I don’t want you trying to stop me or—”  
  
“She’s not coming.” Once the question registered on Michael’s expression, Jason answered with a heavy sigh, “The reason we’ve been trying to get a hold of you—we were trying to make sure you were safe.”  
  
“Why? Why wouldn’t I be?” Michael’s mind went wild with possibilities, and his voice became shaky as he asked, “How do you know Sage isn’t coming?”  
  
“She’s at the hospital.” Jason held out his hands, signaling for a moment of explanation, “She’s okay, but her uncle—Lorenzo Alcazar was shot.”  
  
“She’s…” Michael trailed off, reaching for his phone and checking all his missed calls.   
  
None of them were from Sage.  
  
“I—I have to go. I have to see her.” Michael could see Jason’s hesitation and instantly disregarded it, “You’re not gonna stop me.”  
  
~*~  
  
Michael peeked down the corridor, spotting guards posted outside of a room which was no doubt Lorenzo’s. Instinctively, he knew to bide his time and wait for the opportunity to present itself.  
  
It came in a form unexpected as he spotted Johnny Zacchara, exiting the room and patting the shoulder of a bodyguard. Signaling he would be fine, Johnny made his way down the hall without company in toe.   
  
Michael wanted to say something as Johnny rounded the corner, but he had no clue where to begin.  
  
Apparently, Johnny did not have the same problem, “You know you can’t be here, right?” His dark eyes struck Michael with a painful warning, “Your family started a war tonight.”  
  
“I’m not a part of that. You know it.”  
  
“Yeah…” Johnny let out a sharp laugh, rubbing the back of his neck, “let me ask you something, did you really think Lorenzo would be okay with you and Sage?”  
  
“…she told you.”  
  
“She felt bad about stepping out on our engagement. She’s loyal like that. Even to me.” He did a check of the hall, trying to ensure their conversation was theirs alone, “Michael, she might have thought there was a chance for you. May have done something to prove it. But that was before tonight, before all this. Now? The best thing to do is stay away. Remember which side you’re on.”  
  
Michael’s body was on fire with frustration, sick and tired of everyone telling him how to be, “I’m on her side.” Before anyone could stop him, prevent him from another ‘mistake’, he was making his way down the hall and pushing warnings to a background noise of static.  
  
When a guard stopped him at Lorenzo’s hospital room, his green eyes met her glossy ebony gaze.   
  
Sage was seated at his bedside, clutching his hand in hers, as the tears poured down her cheeks.   
  
Using his stare to plead with hers, wanting a chance to help, Michael said nothing yet cemented himself to the floor – unchanged as the guards warned him to disappear.  
  
“Let him in.” Sage’s voice was strong, unwavering as she made the command.   
  
Michael watched as the guard looked to Johnny, who signaled it was fine. Once the order had been confirmed, he stepped into the room and made his way towards her.   
  
Before he could get too close, Sage broke the silence, “This is my fault.” She moved a hand to touch her uncle’s hair, explaining, “I should’ve been at that meeting with him. Instead, I was going to see you.”  
  
“Sage—“  
  
“They called me right when I parked outside your building. Told me he was here. He might be dead.”  
  
“This isn’t your fault.”  
  
“I couldn’t see it. I didn’t—understand my place.” Lifting her uncle’s hand to her lips, she kissed his skin before tearfully proclaiming, “But I understand now.”  
  
“Sage, listen to me,” Michael knelt at her side, refusing to stop until she acknowledged him, “Your place can be with me.”  
  
“Don’t you get it?” Sage’s eyes met his, consumed by resentment he had never seen from her – more defiant than afraid, more determined than uncertain, “We are enemies, Michael. Your family has to answer for what they’ve done.”  
  
He stood to his feet, taking a step back as she followed him with her eyes, “I didn’t know this was going to happen. I had no part in this.”  
  
“None of that matters anymore. All that matters now is the promises I’ve made to my uncle.” Sage wiped her tears, returning her eyes to her uncle’s face, “Whether it’s your uncle or your father, I swear someone will die by my hand for what they’ve done to him. And, if you refuse to stay out of my way, I have no choice...”  
  
The cold front Sage put on erased all Michael’s hopes for a return. When she so easily threatened him, he understood the error he made by ignoring everyone’s warning – by ignoring his instincts and getting involved with her in the first place.  
  
Without another protest, Michael accepted their fate and overlooked the glares placed upon him as he made his way down the corridor.   
  
Nothing mattered except that his time with Sage was done.   
  
_**The End**_


End file.
